The invention relates to a new and unusual amusement park ride, particularly which involves visual and sensual simulation. Simulation is a new trend in amusement park rides. People will sit in chairs in a theater and watch a film while the chairs, or rows of chairs, move in synchronization with the action on the screen. While this is very safe and popular this type of amusement is very limited since it lacks excitement compared to many other amusement rides.
Heretofore, amusement or game devices have been proposed which use mechanisms including cables, pulleys, and winches for moving a personnel carriage in various fashions. U.S. Pat. No. 1,795,066 discloses an aquatic device having a tower, cable, and pulley wheel arrangement for raising and lowering swimmers to facilitate swimming instruction. U.S. Pat. No. 932,089 discloses a platform using a tower, cable, and pulley arrangement wherein the platform is tilted in a see-saw fashion. U.S. Pat. No. 1,661,864 discloses a tilting platform used in a mechanical toy to move cars which run around a track as it tilts. U.S. Pat. No. 942,759 discloses a tilting platform on which persons move either while upon mats that slide or in suitable cars which slide on rails. The platform is limited to tilting about a pitch axis. U.S. Pat. No. 1,558,134 discloses cars which rotate upon a track within a stationary covered tunnel with undulations provided by the track. U.S. Pat. No. 438,315 discloses an amusement apparatus having a rotating tilting platform suspended from a center pole on which passengers are seated. However, none of these devices provide an apparatus which is suitable and satisfactory for a major amusement park ride.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a major amusement park ride in the form of a tower amusement ride in which persons experience excitement through vertical and/or random movements, as well as simulation effects.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tower amusement ride having a hollow annular shaped passenger compartment which moves vertically with respect to the tower and wobbles to provide simulation and excitement.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a passenger compartment having individual chairs carried on tracks which surround a central tower which moves vertically and rotationally relative to the tower to provide simulation and movement to the passengers seated in the chairs within the compartment.
Another object of the invention is to provide a central tower amusement ride having an annular shaped passenger compartment whose movement relative to the tower may be varied to provide desired rapid movements of chair seated passengers within the housing by means of chairs carried on tracks.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tower amusement ride wherein an annular shaped passenger compartment is moved vertically relative to the tower by means of fluid pressure or other mechanisms which simulate that the housing is being moved upwardly by water or other fluid pressure and the housing is returned under the force of gravity.